Apocalypseway
Let's face it: as much as the majority of players will agree that Heroes, at times, possess an AI that makes the direst of gamers shine like the most comforting blessing ever bestowed, they are (depending on how helpful one's guild is) all on which we can rely on far too many occasions. Therefore I hereby present a team-build for heroes which has allowed me to cut my path through hordes in hard mode when no hand would lend itself in my aid. Disclaimer: most of the Dervish Skill descriptions in the skill bars are outdated; please refer to Guild Wars Wiki for their update. This team build has no room for warriors. This article contains references to the book of the apocalypse that are merely for recreational purposes and do not intend any religious or political implications. There are fragments of the ancient literature included in the article - should for any reason one not wish to read them, exclude the italic portions (quotations) from the reading. Paragons who wish to make use of this build need to address the variant exposed near the end of the article. Overview This team is meant to, at the very least, survive most areas in hard mode (if one adjusts the variable slots adequately). This is not a speed-clear build, merely a lazy survival one. For build-structiring purposes it is divided into four parts (named after the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse), but for execution purposes it is divided into 2 teams: Squad A and Squad B. Squad A * Player/Hero: variable which can be played as for spiking or for pressure. * Hero: / UA healer. * Hero: / Panic interrupt. * Hero: / nuker. Squad B * Player/Hero: / (or / ) SoS wall. * Hero: / healer. * Hero: / MM bomber/support. * Hero: / hexer. Attributes and Skills This section will be divided into four Horse categories mentioned above (and will make for some fun for those of you who have read the literature). The White Horse "I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, "Come and see!" I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest." In literature the White Horse depicts either good or evil, in this build, it represents the roles that are most recommendable to be carried out by the player, since Hero AI is relatively incompettent at them. This also means that the team-build can be utilized with two players, each one leading a squad. As good, one must be either / or / in order to SoS, hence the outruling of Wars and Paras. prof=Ritualist/Any ChannelingMagic=11+1+3 SpawningPower=10+1 Communing=10SpiritsOptionalof UnfeelingBondof SpiritsPainVampirismShadowsong/build * The skills utilized for / are the same, but vary in the fact that attributes Channeling Magic and Communing should both be elevated to 12. * The above presents the only exception of the case of a ranger, in which case some attribute points must be sacrificed to rise the level of Expertise. * Useful skills for the optional slot are Spirit Boon Strike, if one's spirits should require heavy healing, and Essence Strike, should energy management be a problem. * Should one choose to have a hero run this role, it is best to have Summon Spirits replacced with Splinter Weapon, and Vampirism with either Disenchantment or Anguish. * Choosing to hero this build will result in elevated micromanegement. As evil, one must provide either pressure with a scythe(be it critial or an avatar) or spiking with ''Death Blossom spamming''. prof=Dervish/Any ScytheMastery=11+1+1 Mysticism=10 EarthPrayers=10+1of StrengthRegenerationof Thornsof SanctityOptionalShardsScytheVictory/build prof=Assassin/Dervish ScytheMastery=11 CriticalStrikes=10+1+1 EarthPrayers=10EyeAgilityof the Masterof StrengthShardsSandstormScytheVictory/build prof=Assassin/Any DaggerMastery=12+1+1 CriticalStrikes=12+1EyeAgilityOptionalStrikeStrikeBlossomStrikeFangs/build * The optionals are completely contextual, but since the role of these builds is the application of pressure or spikes the best option would be whichever skill increases damage outpot the most. * If running the Death Blossom spamming on a hero, replace Critical Agility with a Warrior stance (e.g. Flurry). * The "Critial Scythe" should only be used by an actual player. The Red Horse "When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, "Come and see!" Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other. To him was given a large sword." The symbol of war in the ancient texts, is here the main offensive set of the team. Composed by a Mesmer interrupt and an Elementalist nuker. The panic mesmer is a man of all seasons and can remain unchanged regardless of the context. prof=Mesmer/Monk DominationMagic=12+1+3 FastCasting=9+1 InspirationMagic=9 IllusionMagic=3Panicof Frustrationof Disruptionof ClumsinessSpikeDrainEnchantmentDemise/build The Elementalist nuker is a tricky one due to the volatile nature of the enemy's characteristics. For general use he must use the following: prof=Elementalist/Mesmer FireMagic=12+1+3 EnergyStorage=12+1 AirMagic=3of RestorationAttunementof Lesser EnergyEchoFlamesGazeShowerJavelin/build * Lightning Javelin on the Searing Flames build may look inadequate, but it is actually somewhat useful with boss/heavy-melee fights, and should be disabled until such occasion. Moreover, one must make sure the hero mimics the elite with Arcane Echo whenever the time can be spared. For confrontations against Destroyers he should pack the following: prof=Elementalist/Any WaterMagic=12+1+3 EnergyStorage=12+1 AirMagic=3of RestorationAttunementof Lesser EnergyShatterstoneMaelstromBladeSpikesIce/build For confrontations with either extremely high prtection levels, elemental resistance, or plagued with undead: prof=Elementalist/Monk FireMagic=10+1+3 EnergyStorage=10+1 SmitingPrayers=11of RestorationAttunementof Lesser Energyof JudgmentWrathof DamageInvocationHeat/build The Black Horse "When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come and see!" I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, "A quart of wheat for a day's wages, and three quarts of barley for a day's wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!"" This is the name I have given to the necro team in tribute to the writtings' element for Famine and Pestilence. Like all necro teams, this one is composed by three of them which I will divide into one famine necros and one pestilence necros. The role of the famine necro is to prvide healing and hex removal. It utilizes an unusual Elite. Its core buiild leaves two open skill slots for an attribute that will have a level of 10:: prof=Necromancer/Monk SoulReaping=8+1+1 HealingPrayers=12of LightPartyHexHexof Lost SoulsChantOptionalOptional/build * In areas with abundant exploitable corpses, use the remaining attritube points to rais Death Magic to level 10 and and equip Animate Bone Minions and Death Nova. The two pestilence necros are a hexer/conditioner necro and support necro. The hexer/conditioner necro is as follows: prof=Necromancer/Elementalist Curses=10+1+3 SoulReaping=10+1 WaterMagic=11SpiritVisionFreezeBloodMeeknessOptionalOf Lost Soulsof Lesser Energy/build *In areas where the mobs are large and/or high in caster/hybrid numbers, it is recommended to equip Maelstrom. *In areas where the enemy will rely heavily on enchantments, it is recommended to use Chilblains. The support necro's main role is to remove conditions and provide some protection. It's secndary role can be either a Minion Master (if enough exploitable corpses are available) or a Blood Degen. The respective builds are the following: prof=Necromancer/Monk DeathMagic=10+1+3 SoulReaping=10+1 ProtectionPrayers=11AegisSpiritAilmentConditionof Lost Soulsof the LichBone MinionsNova/build prof=Necromancer/Monk BloodMagic=10+1+3 SoulReaping=10+1 ProtectionPrayers=11AegisSpiritAilmentConditionof Lost SoulsTransferSwarmOptional/build *The optional for the latter is normally best fit with Blood Ritual, Unholy Feast, or Blood of the Aggressor. The Pale Horse "When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, "Come and see!" I looked and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth." This is the only segment of the team that is only composed by one character. The Pale Horse is said to be death itself, and in contrast, it is the one in charge of preventing it in this team: the UA healer. prof=Monk/Elementalist DivineFavor=11+1 HealingPrayers=10+1+3 ProtectionPrayers=10AuraWhisperPartyAilmentHexof Fortuneof Absorptionof Lesser Energy/build Equipment Weapons * Energy+20 & HP+30 Staves for all Casters. * Vampiric HP+30 weapons for the Melee. Armor * Core requirement is at least a Minor Rune of Vigor, and as many Runes of Attunement as possible in the remaining slots. * Attribute runes must be distributed accordingly to match build requirements. * For the Melee: Full Nightstalker's Insignia for the Assassin and full Windwalker Insignia for the Dervish. * For the Casters: Full Radiant Insignia (as mad as it may sounds to some). Usage * Add the party memebers in the specified order. * Adapt the Variants and Optionals to the situation. * An example of a full Apocalypseway team is as follows: Squad A * Player/Hero: / * Hero: / * Hero: / * Hero: / Squad B * Hero: * Hero: / * Hero: / * Hero: / * Place the SoS wall in front of the rest of the casters; the White Horse always goes in the front. * Scatter your team behind the Spirit Wall (as to avoid AoE) flagging the Black Horse Towards the center, the Pale Horse behind the Blackhorse(without placing it out of spell range), and the Red Horse to the sides, but still behind the Spirit Wall. * As soon as the spirits make contact have the melee White Horse charge against the priority target. * If a second player comes along, each player leads a squad. If one of the players lacks the heroes to do so, then he must position himself according to his role. *Frozen Soil is to be placed on the Ritualist or the Mesmer whenever necessary. * Do not forget to be ready to change the flag's position at all times. Counters * Hero stupidty. * Full micromanagement is near-impossible. * Disenchantment. Variants If one should play as a Paragon, an Imbagon build is necessary to either make all of the Black Horse into a 1/2-DiscordWay team, or its support necro must adopt the appropriate of the following builds (depending on the availability of exploitable corpses): prof=Necromancer/Monk DeathMagic=10+1+3 SoulReaping=10+1 Protection Prayers=11SwarmChillAilmentConditionof Lost SoulsBonesBone MinionsNova/build prof=Necromancer/Monk BloodMagic=10+1+3 SoulReaping=10+1 ProtectionPrayers=11Ritualof the AggressorAilmentConditionof Lost SoulsTransferSwarmFeast/build Notes This article could also be seen as proper general hero team construction 101 (hence the absence of a See Also section), thus generating some negative reactions from the more seasoned players. --Clan of Onewing 21:01, September 11, 2011 (UTC)